Means for indicating and raising sunken boats.



J. P. SHEA. MEANS FOR INDIGATING AND RAISING SUNKEN BOATS.

L 1 9 1 00 2 y m d m w P 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JOHN FRANCIS SHEA, OF TAMPA, FLORIDA.

MEANS FOR INDIGATINGAND RAISING SUNKEN BOATS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented a 23, 1911.

Application filed November 16, 1910. Serial No. 592,708

To all wiwm it. may concern:

Be it known that I, J onn FRANCIS SHEA, a citizen of the United States, residlng at Tampa, in the county of Hillsboro andState of Florida,'have invented certain newand" useful Improvements in Meansfor Indicating and Raising Sunken Boats; and I do hereby declare the following to bee. full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

This invention relates to apparatus for indicating the position of sunken vessels and providing means to assist in raising same, and the invention is particularly applicable for use with submarines in case of accident and renders more effective the saving of'life and also property. I

,With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the arrangement and combinations of parts hereinafter claimed, and while the invention is not restricted .to the exact details shown and described, still for the purpose of disclosure reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters designate the same parts in the several views, andin which;-

Figure l is a view of my improved apparatus partly in plan and partly in horizontal section substantially on a line showing in plan the shell or guard casing for the pulley or sheave, the spaces for the coiled pilot line and the upper bearing for the ball race, portion of this bearing being broken away showing the position of the balls therebeneath. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal verti cal section. Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 1 looking to the right. Fig.

4 is a cross section on the line l4= looking "in the same direction. F igl 5 is an end view of the rear of the apparatus and Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation illustrating means for automatically releasing the floats.

In carrying out the invention broadly I provide means for normally anchoring to' the submarine boat a. pair of floats of difierent values of buoyancy, each connected to one end of the pilot cable, a suitable pulley being interposed between the en'ds'of said c able, in combination with means for contaming said elements and releasing saidfloats upon emergency, whereupon both floats will float to the surface of the water if the water "isii'ot too deep',"'and if the water is too deep to allow both floats to reach the surface then the larger float will have suflicient buoyancy to counteract the buoyancy of the smaller float and the suspended pilot cable and will rise to the surface of the Water, in either caseone or both floats indicating the exact position of the ship. The position of the ship being indicated a strong cable can be attached to one end of the pilot cable, and

'uponthe release of same the other end of the pilot cable ,can be hauled in until the end of the heavy cable is reached, whereupon the sunken vessel may be raised byineans of this heavy cable. a

In the drawings 1 indicates the deck of a submarine boat, to which there is firmlybolted or secured, by means of the rivets 2,

the flange plate 8 of a casting or cradle having the well portion 4 for the reception of the floats and the ilot cables, and a chamber 5 having a ledge 6 substantially centrally thereof forming the lower race of a ball bearing hereinafter referred to.

The outer wall'of the chamber 5 extends upwardly, as at 7, and outwardly at its upper end 'to form the flange 3 at that end of the apparatus, a flange portion 8 being disposed opposite the ledge portion 6 and cooperatingwith bolts 9, forming a part of the anchoring means for said floats, as hereinafter referred to.

Within the chamber 5 is mounted a universal pulley block around which the pilot cable reeves. The method of mounting this pulley is as follows :-A U-sha d strap is provided having a base 10 an the upright flat arms 11, the base 10 being swiveled to the bottom wall 12 of the chamber 5 by means of the headed swivel bolt 13, shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. A pulley or sheave 14 is journaled, on the axis pin 15 between the upright walls ofsaid-strap, and interposed between the walls and said pulley is a member or casing of peculiar construction comprising the parallehwalls -16 flaring pulley or block is universally mounted and is supported by the ball bearing construction, while the sheave itself is so contained within the shell or casing that an enlarged outer end is provided which will enable the heavy cable to be rove on the sheave without jamming or fouling, only suflicient space V being provided betweenthe sheave and the side of the shell or casing to allow the sheave to turn freely, while the ends of the shell or casing are flared outwardly in the inverted bell fashion, as at'20, to allow of plenty freeway for the pilot cable or elevating cable.

In the forward compartment, or wellportion 4:, are arranged two annular casings 2l,l

formed by the concentric walls 21 for containing the coiled ends of the pilot cable 22,

one end of which cable is. attached toone float and the' other to the other float, as here-.

inafter described.

23 designates channel members incasing a suitably curved wooden chock 24 supporting the secondary or float of lighter buoyancy the main float 26 resting. u on the 35, secondary float, with one end of t :epilot cable secured to the float 25, as at '27, and

the other end secured to the float 26, as at 28. Any suitable means may be provided for securing the floats within their cradleagainst displacement when used with submarine boats "and when the submarine is located below the surface under normal conditions, butin the drawings I have shown a plate or casting 29 secured to the upper float, as at 30, and at its rear end 31 projecting beneath key members 32 carried at the upper end of the bolts 9, the casting 29 .plate and the interior of the boat;

. 35 is a locking nut for the rod 31, and 136 isa lever connected with the rod-31 but disposed outside the deck so that the same can be operated to release the floats by a diver '60 from the outside, should occasion necessitate. I

In addition to the wheel 33 and the lever 36 for releasing the floats from the inside or outside, it is also desirable to provide an automaticrelease operable in case of conditions preventin he manual manipulation of the wheel or ever, as might be the case in the event of collision and immediate sinking of the vessel. Various arrangements might be adopted for causing the automatic release and in Fig. 6 I have shown one automatic arrangement designed for this end. In this figure the wheel 33 is provided with pin 33 to which is connected a swiveled rod 40 having a bifurcated end and connected at its pther'end to a piston shown in dotted lines at 41,- contained within 'a cylinder 42, 43 designating a pipedischarging behind the head of said piston at one end and at its other endconnected with the cylinder 44, containing the operating fluid which may be compressed air. In the conduit 43 is arranged a turning cock indicated at 45 and connected to an arm 46, carrying a float 47.

' It is obvious that the conduit 43 may be located in the bilge of the boat so that the float 47 will be in a position to operate the releasing mechanism as the boat starts to fill up, instead of remaining inoperative until theboat has actually filled up, which would be the case if it were located immediately under the deck. Y A

-From the foregoing it will be observed that in the case of an emergency upon operating the locking rod 31 either by the hand'wheel 33 or the lever 36 the interlock between thekey 32 and the member 30 is released, and the vessel being submerged the upper float 26 will immediately start to rise on the end 31 as a pivot until'it has approached an inclined position, when the end 31 will be-released from beneath the locking buttons 32and the float 26 will start upwandly. 'Atthe same time the secondary float 25 is'-'released upon the removal of the'main float-and it starts upwardly, both fleets carrying with them their respective ends of the pilot cable. If the water is not too deep both floats will arrive at the surfaces-11d will indicate the position of the ship. So also if it happens that the hand wheel '33 or'the lever36 is not accessible, the

'riseof water in the boat will cause the float a? to; open the cock 45, whereupon the pres- I the. casting'29, thereby releasing the latter.

It will-also be. understood that in addition to acting ias' an automatic releasing means,

well. p v

If the water is deeper thanone-half the length of pilotrop'e orcable then the buoyancy -of the main float- 26 will overcome the buoyancy of'the secondary float 25 and will rise to the "surface, the second float. being the lever. 46 may be operated manually as float and the sheave around which the pilot cable passes. In rendering-assistance to the ship, under these conditions, a heavy cable is attachedto that end of the pilot rope carried by. the main float, and upon release the secondary float will approach the. surface, whereupon that end of the pilot'nope can be pulled in until the heavy cable isrove around the sheave and means for elevating the vessel.

Of course' it will be understood that all of the parts are so constructed as' to have sufficient strength to standneoessary strain, and further it will be understood 'that a suitable packing 37 is interposedbetween the deck flange and the .plate casting 29, which latter is provided with grooves 37" for there-ception of the packing, and thenuts 38 and 35 may be operated to make this packing more effective, if desired. i

Having thus described a practical and pre ferred. embodiment of the invention, the particular features of novelty will now be pointed out more succinctly in the following claims 1. The combination of a pair of floats, one of said floats having greater buoyancy than the other, means for detachably securing same on the exterior of a vessel, means for releasing same, a cable connecting said floats, a bight of saidcable passing around a part of said vessel fixed relatively thereto'ysub stantially as described.-

T he combination of a cradle, means for securing same to a vessel, a pair of floats de tlCllZlbhY secured within said cradle, means for releasing same, a. pulley secured to said cradle, 21 single pilot line arranged in a plurality of coils, the end of one of said coils recving around said pulley and connected to one of said floats, and the end of another coil being secured to the other of said floats substantially as described.

The combination of -a cradle, a pulley secured thereto and means for securing said cradleto a vessel, a'pair of floats normally mounted in said cradle, a pilot line passing around said pulley and secured at its ends to said floats, an extension'carried by the up permost of said floats, means detachably hinging one end of said extension "to said cradle, and means for locking and releasing the other end'of saidv extension for detachably holding said floats in place, substanton, a cock in said conduit and floating tially as described.

4. The combination of a cradle co1nprising a well portion and a smaller chamber, a universally mounted ulley in said smaller chamber, a float in sai well portion, a second float of different buoyancy from said first float mounted thereon, an extension plate carried by the uppermost'float and form ing with said float a covering for said well provided floats detachabl portion and a cover for said smaller chamber, means for detachably hingin'g one end of saidextens'ion to said cradle, means for lock- 'ingand releasing-the other end of said extension, and a pilot line ,reeving around said floats detachably secured therem, means for releasing said floats, a chamber formed 'in Silld cradle, apulley mounted to swivel in saidchamber, a casing for said pulley and mounted to. swivel therewith, and a pilot line reevingaround said pulley and connected at its ends to said floats, substantially as described.

6. The combination ofa cradle, a'pair of secured therein, means for releasing said oats, a chamber formed in said cradle, a pulley mountedto swivel in said chamber," a casing for said pulley mounted to swivel-therewith and comprising a pair of flat side members lying adjacent the sidewalls of said pulley and terminating in apairof oppositely disposed upwardly flaring extensions opposite the peripheral edge of said pulley, substantially as described. i v

-7. The combination of a cradle having a well portion and an 'end chamber, means for detachably securing a pair of floats in said U-shaped strap swiveled to thebottom of well portion, means for releasing same, a'

said end chamber, a pulley freely journaled between the wallsofsaid U-shaped strap, a casing for said pulley comprising a pair of flat'side walls disposed within said U- shaped strap adjacent the side faces of said pulley and terminating atopposite ends. in upwardly flaring openings opposite'the peripheral edge of said pulley to prevent the fouling of a cable when ,rove therethrough',

and a pilot line reeving around said pulley and connected at its ends to said floats, substantially as described.

8..The combination of a pair of floats, means for detachably securing the same to the exterior of a vessel, a cable connecting said floats, a bight of said cable passing around a part of-said vessel fixed relatively theretmand means for automatically releasing said floats, comprising a locking-rod detachably engaging one of said float-s, a piston adapted to operate said locking'rod,

a fluid pressure conduit acting with said pismeans connected to said cock, substantially as described.

9. The combination of a pair of floats, one

conduit anda 1ever secured at one end to said J 4: a 993,205 v A;

a piloi; line connected at one end to bne of turi1ing e0ck and at its .gthfezeend provided .said floats, thence reeving around said pulley' =with a float, substantialfi as descnbed. l0

and connecfied-at its ether end to said other: In, testimony whereof, I aifix my signafloat; a piston adapted td-o erate said lock ture, in presence of two witnesses. ing r0d, a fluidpres sul 'e tan ;a.c'onduit coni JOHN FRANCIS SHEA; meeting said fluid pressu're tank and the cyl- Witnesses:

indei' for said piston,'"a turningeockin said K. I. MGKAY,

' GRACE AUSTIN.

I db iiel ot this patent m'ajbeobtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the. Gqmmissioneroi Iatentsf Washington, D. 'C. 

